Car-brake



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. M. REEVES.

GAE BRAKE. No. 586,204. Patented July 18, 1897.

WITNESSES Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. M. REEVES.

GAE BRAKE No. 586,204. Patented July 13,1897.

TVIIWESSES CAR-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No; 586,204, dated July 13, 1897. Application filed September 26, 1896. Serial No. 607,053. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN M. REEVES, a citi zen of the United States, residing at Plymouth, in the county of Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Brakes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to car-brakes of that kind ordinarily denominated shoe-brakes. It: is intended more particularly for use in connection with electric street-cars, but may be used in connection with any kind of cars.

The particular construction of my inven tion will be pointed out more specifically in the specification following, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a car provided with brakes constructed in accordance with this invention, the mechanism at opposite ends of the car showing two modifications. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof with the floor of the car removed. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the presserfoot. Fig.4 is a detail perspective View of the shoe. Fig. 5 is an end view of one of the legs or bars.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Theobject of my invention is to produce a brake which may be quickly operated and which will be sufficiently powerful to stop a car in the shortest possible distance.

The shoe A is so hung that it may be quickly inserted in front of the wheel and between the wheel and the track. This shoe has a curved portion adapted to fit the tread of the wheel and a flat portion adapted to ride upon the upper surface of the rail. It has in addition a flange A, which projects downward from the inner side of the shoe-that is, the side which is toward the inner side of the rail. This flange is beveled, being thickest at the upperportion and becoming comparatively thin at the lower portion.

When the shoe is forced under the wheel, the tendency of the wheel is to force the shoe down upon the track. The downward-projecting flange A is pressed against the inner surface of the rail-head, thus tending to force the shoe toward the center. These shoes are fixed attheir forward end, or that end farthest removed from the wheel, to the leg or bar B. The lower end portion of this leg or bar bears upon the rail, both on the upper portionand upon the side of the rail-head, by means of a flange B, similar to the flange A upon the shoe. Each pair of legs B at each end of the car are supported by swing-rods F. These rods need not be very heavy and can be made of round bar-iron. These rods F consist of a horizontal central portion and upright end portions. These end portions of the rods are pivoted to the car-floor by any suitable pivot for instance, by staplesand just over the rails on each side. The connecting or horizontal portions of the rods F pass under legs B upon each side of the car. The swing-rods F are secured to the legs B by staples fi) upon the under side thereof and also by a plate 6, formed of sheet metal. This plate is bent at right angles and has a hole for the reception of the horizontal portion of the swing-rod and a slot for the vertical portion, as will be seen in the drawings. This connection allows the legs to swing without binding the swing-rods.

Each bar or leg is connected by a set of stay-bars I for holding the frame together. Pivoted to one of these stay-bars I is an operating-lever II. This lever extends up through a slot in the floor of the car and is held in place by means of a pivot held by plate h on the bottom of the car. A ratchet M and locking-pin are provided above the floor and serve to hold the lever 11 in its adjusted position. It is normally held in the position shown at the righthand end of the car. The position of the device shown at the left-hand end of the caris the operating or braking position.

Between the ends of the legs hear the shoe A is placed a bar D, which I have denominated as a presser-foot. This bar has jaws or lugs projecting from each end similar in shape to the end of an ordinary j aw-wrench. These jaws embrace the sides of the legs and guide the presser-foot upon the sides of the legs. The portions of the side faces of the legs embraced by the jaws of the bar D are inclined, so that as said barD is moved with relationto said legs it serves to move the legs outwardly.

As before pointed out, the constructions at the ends of the car vary in Figs. 1 and 2, although both illustrate embodiments of my invention and the construction thus far described is the same in the two forms shown. The construction shown at the right-hand side in said figures is a link E, consisting of a bent bar having its end portions fastened to the presser-foot D, while its central con necting portion is pivotally connected with the lever M by being passed loosely through an opening in said lever at a point between the fulcrum and the lower end thereof. The inner faces of the legs B opposite the ends of the presser-foot D incline inwardly from front to rear, so that by moving the presser-foot D outwardly the legs B are spread apart. WVhen the lever M is rocked to throw the shoes against the wheels, the presser-foot D spreads the bars B apart to force their flanges and the shoes and their flanges against the rail. Upon engaging the shoes the car-wheels force said shoes down upon the rails, throwing the inner faces of the flanges A and B of the shoe and foot against the inner faces of the flanges of the rails. The flanges of the wheels engage the sides of the shoes A, forcing the same outward, and the outward motion of the shoe is stopped by the engagement of their flanges with the sides of the rails. As a consequence there is a wedgin g action which creates a very heavy friction between the shoes and rails, resulting in the car being brought very quickly to a stop, even if running at a high speed or going down a heavy grade.

To draw the shoes toward the center to an extent sufflcient to insure the operative engagement between their flanges and the sides of the rails when they are moved toward the wheels by the lever M, a spring Gr is situated between and secured to the shoes on opposite sides of the car and serves to draw them together. This motion toward the center is of course limited by the presser-foot D. The stay-bars I are not fixed to the legs B so securely but that there may be a little play or side motion between the two. The outer one, however, may be fixed tightly.

At the left-hand end of the car the connection between the presser-foot D and lever M consists of a rod E, fastened at its ends to the presser-foot and to the lever M. The connection between said rod E and lever M is below the connection between said lever and the stay-bar I, so that the inclined faces of the legs B incline outwardly from front to rear,

so that the relative movement of the presserfoot to the rear serves to spread the legs B.

The operating-levers II may be connected by any suitable mechanism, so that they may' be operated either by motorman or by conductor at will, thus making them more effective.

As shown in the drawings, the shoes are so placed that they will act effectively when upon one set of the wheels.

My device will be found especially useful where cars are operated on crowded streets at considerable speed or where they are operated upon heavy grades. In the first case it is often necessary to stop the car very quickly in order to prevent accidents which may result in either destruction of life or property. By preventing such accidents it will save the railroad company large amounts in the way of expenses of litigation, suits, and damages. Upon heavy grades it will also save large amounts by reason of preventing runaways, collisions, or derailments and their consequent loss of life and property.

My brake produces a brake action even stronger than that due to the weight of the car sliding upon the rails, as it produces a wedging action on the shoes between the flanges of the wheel and the side of the rail, thus in effect making the brake-shoe slide in a V-shaped groove. This action, it is well known, produces a very much greater retarding effect than where the weight is applied perpendicular to the sliding surface.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure Letters by Patent, is-

1. In a car-brake two legs connected together in I a manner to allow relative lateral movement,a connection between said legs and a car to allow a longitudinal movement there of, a brake-shoe on the lower ends of said legs, and devices for moving said legs longitudinally and for spreading them apart.

2. In a car-brake, two legs connected together to permit the relative lateral movement, a connection between said legs and a car to permit said legs to move longitudinally, a spring to draw said legs together, brake-shoes on the lower ends of said legs, and devices for moving said legs longitudinally and for spreading them apart.

3. In a car-brake, two longitudinally-movable legs having a relative lateral movement connected with a car, brake-shoes at the lower ends of said legs, said brake-shoes having a curved face for contact with the tread of the wheel, a flat face for contact with the tread of the track, and a downwardly-projecting flange to engage the inner face of the head of the track, and devices for moving said legs longitudinally and for spreading them apart.

4t. In a car-brake, the longitudinally-movable legs having a relative lateral movement, a brake-shoe secured to the lower ends of said legs, said brake-shoe having a curved surface for contact with the tread of the wheels, a flat surface for contact with the tread of the track, and a downwardly-projecting flange for contact with the inner face of the head of the rail, said flange tapering toward its lower edge.

5. In a car-brake, the longitudinally-movable legs having a relative lateral movement, a brake-shoe fastened to the lower ends of said legs and provided with a curved face for contact with the tread of the wheel, a groove at one side of said curved face, a flat face for contact with the tread of the rail, and a downwardly-projecting tapering flange for contact with the side of the head of the rail.

6. In acar-brake, the longitudinally-movable legs having a relative lateral movement, said legs being provided at their lower ends with a flat face and downwardly-projecting tapering flange at the inner edge thereof, a brake shoe secured to said legs having a curved face for contact with the tread of the wheel, and a flat bottom face and downwardly tapering flange at the inner edge thereof situated in alinement with the corresponding parts of the legs.

7. The combination with a car, of the legs connected together to permit a relative lateral movement, brake-shoes at the lower ends of said legs, swinging rods connected with said car and with said legs, and an operatinglever mounted upon the car and connected with said legs by devices for swinging the same and for spreading them apart. 8. The combination with a car, of legs having a swinging connection therewith and 0011- nected together to permit the relative lateral movement, brake-shoes at the lower end of said legs, a movable presser-foot situated between said legs and engaging inclined faces thereon, and an operating lever mounted upon the car and connected with said legs and presser-foot for moving the same.

9. The combination with a car, of two legs having a swinging connection therewith and connected together to permit a relative lateral movement, brake-shoes at the lower ends of said legs, a movable presser-foot situated between said legs to engage inclined faces thereon, a spring for moving said legs toward each other, an operating-lever pivoted upon the car and having a pivoted connection with said legs, and a coupling between said lever and said presser-foot.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN M. REEVES.

Witnesses:

B. S. ROBBINS, JAMEs H. CUNNINGHAM. 

